Where We Belong
by Wolvertique
Summary: Story continues from "Despair" and "Where I Belong." Rogue's pregnant, Pyro's heartbroken, Dom's moody, and what's Mystique up to? Read on!
1. Pregnant Dreams

Author's Note: Welcome to the continuing story of Mystique, Logan, Rogue, Remy, Pyro, Avalanche, and company as they try to deal with romantic problems, Rogue's pregnancy, Mystique's new team, and possible cirrhosis from so many trips to the local bars as everyone tries to deal with the usual disappointments. Enjoy!

Rogue:

I stood by the sink in the kitchen, fighting the urge to just pound on that counter as hard as I could. My lips trembled and I felt like crying my heart out.

I knew pregnancy wasn't going to be easy. I did. But I was gettin' fat **already**, after just a couple months, and was getting uglier than Storm or Jean or Sage or … any of the other women at the mansion. I had to wear my uniform all the time because my pants were gettin' too tight. To tell the truth, I was worried to death. At this rate, I'd be a walrus by the time I gave birth.

I couldn't believe it started this early, even though Hank assured me that it was normal. I'd have to go shopping for new clothes every day with my gut growing like this.

How could I be getting so fat? I wasn't gaining weight. My scale showed I'd lost a couple pounds, in fact, because of my near-constant nausea. Wasn't I supposed to gain weight in pregnancy?

Something must be wrong with me. I had to have Hank check me over again!

* * *

"Ya know what they say about mad dogs and Englishmen, right?"

I raised my eyes to the sky, imploring. I had decided to take a walk with Logan to discuss the new team. Clearly, he disliked my choice of time. The sun beat down on us as we carefully navigated the path leading to the brook at the estate's northwest edge. "They both have claws?"

Logan's lips twitched, but he did not laugh. "No. They're the only ones loony enough to go out in the sun at noon." He adjusted his hat, completely hiding his eyes from me.

I restrained the nervous impulse to ask him which one he was, mad dog or Englishman, and instead stated, "I am not confident that the new team will work well."

He took in a big, deep breath of air as we entered the shady grove halfway to our goal. "Tell me why."

I frowned. "St. John appears to be avoiding me. When I wish to speak with him, he says he has other plans, but does nothing. Dominic is not avoiding me. He is using his time to glower and act as sulky as my son. Rogue is almost constantly in consultation with Dr. McCoy, and Jeremy spends much of his time with her."

"And the elf's still actin' strange about us." Ah, Logan, the ever-helpful and tactful. I scowled at him. I had intended to continue, but I paused, my attention drawn by an unusual sight. A blue-winged butterfly had alighted on a bush nearby. The colors on its wings were iridescent in the sun, as clear as a summer sky. It had small splotches of black dotting its wings, which fanned open and closed slowly.

"Mystique?"

I turned my attention away from the insect. "Yes?"

"What're you gonna do?"

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, then nodded and opened them. "I am going to go back to the mansion for a while, then call a team meeting. They have all agreed to be part of this group. I shall hold them to their promises."

He stayed as I took my first few steps, cocking his shaggy head at the animal before it took to the air again. "We could stay here for a while. Air's clean, it's quiet, and we don't gotta worry about somethin' crazy happening."

I lowered myself to the ground and nodded, wincing a little. My joints were feeling the strain of our walk by this time and I welcomed the soft support of the grass under my legs.

"They come back every summer," he said suddenly, tipping his hat back and staring at the plant where I had seen the blue butterfly. "It's called a Summer Azure."

"How did you know?" I leaned against the white birch tree behind me for support, hoping he missed the grimace as I settled myself beneath it.

He snorted. "Kitty. She researches stuff like that all the time. Tells everyone, too, whether ya like it or not."

"Perhaps that should be our first task." I stretched my wasted arms. They were still far too thin, but were more muscled than they had been even a week ago. I still could not wear my wretched uniform, however. "Get them all to research data about the capabilities here and what we can do together."

"Suits me fine if it suits you." He closed his eyes and dropped to the ground. "Give me about fifteen minutes, then we'll head back."

"Why fifteen minutes?"

" 'Cause by then you'll be able to make the journey." He placed his hat over his face and sighed.

I watched and listened as his breath slowly evened into sleep. The soft, cool wind played with my hair as I watched the shadows play on the ground between us, and then I too closed my eyes.


	2. De Vine

Author's Note: My husband took control of my keyboard for a good deal of what follows … so it's all his fault! HIS fault! ;)

Kurt swung easily from branch to branch, vine to vine, as the monkeys cried after him. He almost laughed as one took a wrong turn and fell into the trap he'd set before leaving.

The sun was hot, but down under the trees it was cool. He hung by his tail as he sized up the next crossing. There was some open ground, a small clearing, so he either had to teleport or leap down.

He leapt down easily, capering off limbs and sliding down vines, and crouched down for a moment, letting his keen ears pick up the birdcalls and rustling and insect buzzes while he remained focussed on the angry screams of the pursuing simians.

The monkeys hadn't been thrilled when he'd gamboled into their midst high in the canopy, and despite their small size, their sheer numbers had made it quite a chase so far. He felt confident he'd gained enough of a lead that he could leave them far behind now. They'd probably give up soon, anyhow.

At that moment, he heard something large barreling through the underbrush toward him. Twisting around, he saw several strange looking brown-furred animals. He leapt aside as they rushed frantically past him, and at that instant it occurred to him to look back and see what was chasing them. His danger-honed reflexes kicked in and he flipped away before he even consciously registered the jaguar's swiping claws for what they were. The beast's mate bounded to a halt behind it, and the two began to circle Kurt, trading him for their previous quarry.

Kurt knew he could teleport away at any moment, but the idea of testing himself against these deadly hunting cats held a definite appeal. The two moved fluidly, trying to flank him, and he knew as soon as he lost sight of one, it would attack and its mate would not be far behind. He held his arms out, crouched in a ready post, his tail lashing with anticipation.

Suddenly, the jaguar on the left stopped snarling and walked up to Kurt quite boldly, startling him. It cleared its throat and asked, "Pardon me, but do you have any Grey Poupon?"

The other jaguar continued circling and came up beside the first, chiming in, "It goes terrifically with capybara."

Kurt stammered, "Capy … capy…"

"Capybara, my dear Kurt. You know, the largest rodent in the world? Three of them just came by, attempting to avoid us?"

Kurt's fog lifted and he growled, "Kitty!"

The jaguars both said, "Yes?"

"NOT you!" Kurt stood and looked where he knew, or thought he knew, the control booth was; it was easy to lose track of that sort of thing in the Danger Room.

"Um…what?" Kitty's perky voice cut through the rainforest as if she were standing beside him.

"What did you do to my program?"

"I just made it better?" There was a definite giggle, and he thought he heard another voice in the background as well.

"If I wanted talking animals, I would have gone to Disney World!" he shouted.

"Okay! When are we going?"

"Arrgh!!!!"

The jaguars turned nose to nose as Kurt howled in frustration. "I say, quite an upsettable chap, isn't he?"

"Rather. Bad nerves."

"Oh … you … just keep out of this!" Kurt turned his outrage on the felines, who exchanged glances and started strutting away slowly, muttering things like, "I never" and "Poor upbringing" and "No manners at all, these young chaps."

"So?" Kitty chirped, even more annoyingly cheerful than before.

"So what?" Kurt held his head in his hands. She'd managed to confuse him again.

"When are we going?"

"Going where?"

"I swear. Men. It was like ten seconds ago," Bobby Drake said in his best imitation of Kitty, and Kurt immediately knew who got Beast away from the controls.

"I will get you both for this! You just wait!"

"You're gonna take us BOTH?" Kitty squealed.

"Wow, man, that's great! I've never been to Disney World before. Disneyland, sure. Who hasn't?" Maybe Bobby was being more annoyingly cheerful now.

Kurt decided to give up and pivoted to leave the room…at least, he thought he was leaving the room…but instead of the door he expected, he saw a large castle. The doors opened, and a dizzying array of costumed characters came prancing out.

"KITTY!!!" Oh, he was going to get her. If it took the rest of the day, the week, his life, he was going to get her. With a soft 'bamf' and a wisp of very real sulfur, he fled the Danger Room to make his plans.

* * *

"So, do you think he was impressed?" Kitty turned to find Bobby Drake lying on the floor, holding his sides and gasping for air, bright red. 

"Bobby! I asked you a question." The computer whiz watched as Bobby slowly regained control and sat up, looking at her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Oh, that was the best! What did you say, again?"

"Do you think he was impressed? I was good, wasn't I?"

"Oh, yeah. You were GREAT. … What do you mean, impressed?"

"BOBBY!" Kitty turned away from him in a huff. Though she was nineteen, Kitty still sometimes let her enthusiasm get away with her. She could be serious as anyone in a crisis, as compassionate, as sophisticated, even. But there were times when she was still a kid.

"I mean it. What do you mean when you say impressed? I thought this was a great gag. Wasn't it?" Bobby began feeling uneasy. Kitty wasn't reacting the way he'd expected. When she'd asked him to help her set this up, he just thought that she wanted to pull a prank on Kurt, and he knew that for some reason she'd been banned from operating the Danger Room when Kurt was in there alone. Something about a Tunnel of Love and kewpie dolls, he'd heard. He never suspected anything more.

"I just…I really want him to like me." She still wasn't looking at him. That wasn't a good sign.

"I'm pretty sure he does like you … " Bobby said, trying to cover up the sinking feeling that she wanted Kurt to like her in a very different way than he'd thought. He was even more certain when she continued on as if she hadn't heard him.

"I thought if I did something really impressive, something that showed him how smart I was and how creative, too, he'd notice me. You know? I can't compare to Ororo or Jean or even Rogue right now."

Bobby picked himself up and placed his hands on Kitty's shoulders. "Now, just hold on there. So you aren't built like some of the others. Neither am I. Well, I mean, not like Storm and Jean. I mean, like Scott or Wolverine. But you know what? So what. You are not ugly by any means. I'm pretty certain I'm not either." She giggled despite herself, and he gave her shoulders a small squeeze. "Of course, maybe I am. I haven't had a lot of dates lately.

"Point is, though, you are pretty. Beautiful," he added hastily. "You are also smart, creative, clever, unique … I can't say I know of many others with your power or who found so many ways to use it as you have. Maybe he just … remembers Kitty the kid, not Katherine Pryde, the young woman. Maybe you have to introduce her to him. It's worth a shot, right?"

Quickly she turned around and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him. He blinked and smiled, hugging her back, as she said, "Thanks, Bobby. I don't think I saw it that way before. I'll think about it and I'll try it your way."

"You will?" Bobby blinked in surprise. Kitty just smiled and walked out of the control room.

Bobby heaved a great sigh of relief and slumped back into a chair. "Wow. That was a close one." He smiled, then, and nearly broke out laughing again. Reaching up, he punched a button and a small tray slid open. Holding up the disk that had been inside it, he grinned. What good was a joke if you couldn't share it with everybody?


End file.
